Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has shown promise in reducing weight gain and high blood sugar levels. A new clinical trial led by John Buse, MD, PhD, and Matthew Cavender, MD, MPH, at the UNC School of Medicine found that the oral form of semaglutide significantly reduces cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease that affects blood sugar control. People with the condition need to closely monitor their diet and activity and may need medications as their blood sugar becomes difficult to manage. Cardiovascular disease is a significant risk for those with type 2 diabetes due to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or both.
The Semaglutide cardiOvascular oUtcomes triaL (SOUL) trial recruited 9,650 participants with pre-existing cardiovascular disease and divided them into a placebo group and a drug group. Those in the medication group took once-daily 14mg doses of oral semaglutide, which reduced major cardiovascular events by 14% compared to placebo.
The effect of oral semaglutide on cardiovascular outcomes was consistent with other clinical trials involving injectable semaglutide. However, more trials are needed to determine if one method may be more effective than the other in reducing major cardiovascular events. Overall, this study provides new hope for managing type 2 diabetes and reducing cardiovascular risk.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1078700